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Preds acquire 2007 first-round pick

by
Press Release
/ Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators Executive Vice President/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has acquired a first-round selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft from the Philadelphia Flyers for the rights to forward Scott Hartnell and defenseman Kimmo Timonen. The pick, No. 23 overall, is the same selection that Philadelphia received from Nashville in a trade package for Peter Forsberg on February 15, 2007.

“We expected both Scott and Kimmo to be among the most sought after at their respective positions when the unrestricted free agent marketplace opens on July 1, and it did not appear as if we were going to be able to sign either player before then,” said Poile. “That being said, we received a first-round pick for the exclusive right to negotiate with two players who ultimately could have hit the market in two weeks.

“Timonen was our team captain this past season and an All-Star. Hartnell is a young player that we drafted, inserted in our lineup at age 18, and saw develop into a 25-goal scorer. Both of these players have been important contributors to our franchise’s success and we wish them the best going forward.”